


For Better or Worse

by Dalet



Category: Baten Kaitos, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Baten Kaitos, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-17 00:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11839893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalet/pseuds/Dalet
Summary: “Who are you?” That’s Cass’ real question, but they’ve already asked, and lied, to each other, so he has to find another way.





	For Better or Worse

“Your mother...”

Cass starts slowly, sitting cross-legged and staring at Balthazar’s cards as he sorts them.

“She must have been to magic users what my grandfather was to engineers, but I’ve never...heard of _any_ one like that.”

He frowns. “Who _was_ she?”

Eyes on his cards, Balthazar smiles wryly.

_“Who are **you**?”_ That’s Cass’ real question, but they’ve already asked, and lied, to each other, so he has to find another way.

Then again, what Cass and the others saw today _was_ unheard of. No one in the sky can command the elements the way Balthazar did. Not even the School of Magic can impart such power.

Maybe Cass really is just stunned, letting his awe get the better of his curiousity. Balthazar decides to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Unless...”

Balthazar lifts his head, meeting Cass’ tentative expression.

“‘Unless’...?” he prods, raising his eyebrows. Cass’ next question might clear up his intentions.

“Are you...” Cass asks, “...a Child of the Earth?”

Balthazar blinks, then laughs.

“Oh, no, no,” he shakes his head. “I _can_ tell you that much. I have heartwings, don’t I?”

Cass actually looks surprised.

“Then _how_ \--”

“Now, Cassie,” Balthazar chides him affectionately, waving a finger. “If I answer _that_ , you know you have to do the same.”

Cass shuts his mouth abruptly and rolls his eyes, then sighs softly.

“Sorry,” he offers, “it was just so incredible, I-”

“I know.” 

Packing away his cards, Balthazar meets his eyes sympathetically. “And...I wish I could tell you. I wish we actually _knew_ each other. Don’t you?”

Cass glances away, eyes falling to the ground. “I might, if I didn’t like you.”

Balthazar tilts his head, taken aback.

But, then again...

“No, I understand,” he says quietly. Cass looks up at him strangely. Balthazar forces a smile, and shrugs.

“Who hides a happy story, right?”

“...Yeah.”

In the silence, Balthazar holds out his hand.

“Someday,” he says. “Someday, we’ll tell each other everything. Promise?”

Cass stares at Balthazar’s hand. He can’t really know what he’s offering, can he? to say such a thing.

Or, worse, maybe he can.

“Someday...” says Cass, “we might not be friends anymore.”

Still, he takes Balthazar’s hand.

“I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is also on my blog [HERE](https://everymeloveseveryyou.tumblr.com/tagged/u:%20baten%20kaitos)


End file.
